


Never Say Goodbye

by exojeoja



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: (well except for Sehun), Acting, Alternate Universe - Not K-Pop Idols, Alternate Universe - Writing & Publishing, Amnesia, Childhood Friends, Chronic Illness, Doctor/Patient, First Love, Fluff and Angst, Multi, Slow Burn, TV Tropes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-25
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-10-28 07:14:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20774636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exojeoja/pseuds/exojeoja
Summary: You are a writer, known for your action-packed Korean dramas. When you return to Korea for the first time in years, you stumble upon new and old faces, some you'd never thought you'd see again...**Updates every Wednesday!**





	1. Episode One: Vroom Vroom

**Author's Note:**

> Never Say Goodbye is a reader-insert story, written in second person POV, formatted to read much like a kdrama. The main character (played by you!) is a gender-neutral character and will use they/them pronouns to promote inclusivity. All are welcome to read and enjoy. 
> 
> So, that being said, expect it to follow (and diverge) the typical kdrama antics. Enjoy!
> 
> Note: Each EXO member will be playing a character that has the same name as them. The characters they are playing do not represent them as people and, even though I plan to stay as true to their personalities as possible, they will divert a lot from their normal selves.

"Excuse me?" A voice lulled you awake.

Rubbing your eyes, you look up and see the Korean Air stewardess waving at you and you managed to respond sleepily, "hmm?"

"We will be landing soon, so please raise your seat," she instructed.

"Oh," you said, pressing the button and shifting yourself to sit upright. "Sorry."

She quickly left after confirming that your seat was up to instruct the next person. The passengers to your right seemed annoyed, as if you having to raise your seat was their problem. You rolled your eyes at them and turned to stare out the window. It was morning already.

And raining.

You clutched your heart watching the rain fall, thinking of soft memories of the past. With a sigh on your lips, you think about him.

Kim Jongin...

You remembered the first time you saw him. You had just moved to America from Korea. His family had just moved there as well. Coicidentally, you both were neighbors.

He, luckily, came right before the school year started, so he had already familiarized himself with American culture. You weren't so lucky, being the strange new kid who wasn't even in the same classes as Jongin.

However, he still welcomed you as his friend. His parents had made him come over to your house, bringing you a delicious cake that they had made.

When you think about it, your heart pounded. Because truly, it was love at first sight.

  
His smile was infectious and he seemed happy to learn that you spoke Korean as well. You both sat on your front porch, talking about your lives back in Korea. He asked you why you had to move to America. His parents had opened up a new branch, so they moved to oversee business. You could tell he was wealthy, given that he had already integrated with American fashion.

You were too embarrassed to say that your family moved you to America for treatment. You didn't want him to know that about you. You didn't want his pity. So you told him you wanted to study here. A big lie but...it was better than the real reason.

Jongin was easy to talk to. You told him about your aspirations to be a writer and he said he wanted to be an actor. You joked that you and him should get into the best art school in America together, despite how incredibly competitive and nearly impossible it was to get accepted. He chuckled, but accepted your challenge.

That night, you both promised something to each other. That you would write the shows that he would act in. That one day, you'd return to Korea together and do a kdrama together.

Your heart beat quickened as you landed in Incheon International Airport and set foot in Korea for the first time in five years. The last time you were here, you co-wrote a movie that Kim Jongin was in. It filmed so quickly that you barely got to see him.

But this time, you were the head writer of the much anticipated action-thriller Code Blue, starring Kai, the hottest actor in Korean media today, better known to you as Kim Jongin. The movie you co-wrote, Deaths in December, won him the Best New Actor award, skyrocketing his acting career to new heights.

It assisted your writing career as well. You went on to write several successful dramas, both in Korea and America, and made a name for yourself in the writing community for your heart-stopping action and your clever plot twists.

You were essentially a drama-writing giant, at the young age of 25.

People looked up to you and you were excited to show the world the newest drama you had in store. However, if you were being honest with yourself, you wouldn't have given up this story this early if it wasn't for the assertion that Kai would be starring as the lead actor. There was still a lot of things to work on, to adapt this story of yours into a drama, but you would do it if it meant you got to work closely with him once again.

You love him, after all.

You hoped that after everything that had happened between you two that...he still loved you too.

Thinking about the past made you feel so nostalgic. So much had happened in your past that you were surprised that you're still here today, waiting for Jongin to accept your heart. But, there was something about first loves. It was so hard to let them go.

Especially when the reason you both weren't together was...your fault.

You decided that this time around, you wouldn't let your fears stop you from loving him. You were better now.

Unbuckling your seatbelt, you stood up once most of the people had left the plane. You never liked shoving your way out of the plane when it was crowded so you always waited for everyone to exit before you did.

Grabbing your bag from overhead, you lugged it down with a huff. You didn't feel like checking a bag, too lazy to wait for it. You had to move into your new apartment, where you'd stay until the end of filming.

You managed to find a fairly nice, and affordable, place near the office building you'd be working in when you aren't consulting on set. Though, you did have a roommate, which the landlord called "very reserved and rarely there" as if that was a bad trait. Well, if it got you a cheaper place, you'd take it. You wouldn't mind the quiet.

As you rolled your luggage down the aisle, you see someone, in first class, still sleeping in his seat. All the flight attendants were busy cleaning up economy that they didn't notice there was still someone here. He had earphones in and a mask around his mouth, like some kind of celebrity. You chuckled to yourself. What if he was, you thought.

Someone would shake him awake eventually, so you left him to sleep. Maybe he needed it. He looked vaguely familiar, but you couldn't quite put your finger on it. Like he was a new actor, or maybe a rising singer. You should really catch up on your media.

You quietly stroll through Incheon International airport. It was barely 6 in the morning and you yawned, quietly cursing at yourself for flying a redeye with your first meeting today. No matter, you would still have time to get to your apartment, shower, change, then make it to your meeting in the afternoon.

Or, you thought so.

Mornings like these never go as planned, do they?

Because as you stepped out of the airport and waved a cab, someone ran up behind you and slipped inside, before you can even say where you're going.

"Hey!" You knocked on the taxi window, "this is my cab!"

The window rolled down and the same man from the plane, the one who was still asleep, answered back to you, "I'm so sorry but I'm late and I have to go now. I hope you can find another taxi."

And, just like that, he jacked your ride.

Of course, the driver wouldn't care. First one in gets the ride, no need for democracy. You groaned, that man's face fresh in your brain. Whoever the hell he was, he was an ass.

"I've got places to go too!" You yelled as the taxi drove away.

It took you a while to get another taxi, as it was a packed flight with a lot of people needing to head into the city before the morning rush. You sighed when you got into your cab, absolutely exhausted with the day already.

"Long flight?" The driver asked as you both sat in traffic together.

You shrugged, "the flight wasn't so bad. It just sucks when someone steals your ride."

"Ah, someone stole your taxi?"

You nodded into your hand, your lips on your palm as you gazed out into the city of Seoul. You loved this city. It was full of old memories for you. Of your parents. Of your childhood. Even though some things were patchy in your mind, you felt like it was still your home.

The driver turned up the soothing music of the radio and your ears perked up at the sound, "who is singing? I've never heard them before."

"Ah, it's Oh Sehun," the driver explained, "he debuted a year or two ago. Super popular, I heard he rushed out of the airport this morning on his own because his personal driver didn't show up. Luckily there wasn't too big of a swarm waiting for him."

"I guess I'm not the only one who is having a bad morning," you thought back to all the times Jongin had been swarmed at the airport. "That must've been why it was impossible to get a cab. Too many extra people at the airport."

You didn't even notice the crowds. Maybe because you just drown out the world around you. You never understood the obsession people had with celebrities. They were regular people, just like you. They should be able to go to the airport without a crowd waiting to take photos of them. They should be able to do a lot of things that regular people can...

You bit your hand, trying not to think about your stupid mistakes. Shaking your head, you decided to search up Oh Sehun and see if he had any other good songs. But...the first thing that popped up when you turned off airplane mode was a text.

A text from Kim Jongin.

_Can we talk soon? I _ _really_ _ need to tell you something. - 7:58am._

You quickly respond back.

_Is everything okay? Let's talk after the Code Blue meeting. - 8:03am. _

Jongin hasn't messaged you in a few weeks. You both used to text everyday but...his schedule has been so tight with all the new things he's been doing that you respected his need for some space. You normally messaged him every once in a while to see how he was doing, but this is the first time he has messaged you first in a long time.

You felt the buzz of your phone against your thigh and you looked at the reply.

_That works for me. I'll meet you in the office's lobby afterwards. See you then. - 8:04am._

With a heavy heart, you held your phone against your chest. You need to tell him how you feel. How you truly feel. No more stalling. You knew Kim Jongin was the only guy for you.

You didn't want to keep your hopes up, but a part of you hoped that he wanted to talk about your relationship with him. Maybe he...wanted to tell you that he loved you too.

Your heart ached and you shook it off, looking back at your phone. You read over an email from your landlord with the instructions on how to get into your new apartment. You just wanted to get there now, especially since you'd be meeting Jongin afterwards. Should you ask him to dinner? You looked back at the text.

You didn't know how to reply, so you just sent a cute "thumbs up" sticker, which he quickly read. You wanted to call him, but you held yourself back. You missed his voice. You really missed talking to him.

Feeling an overwhelming sadness, you shut your eyes and slept for the remainder of the drive. You paid your taxi driver and got out of the car with your suitcase. The landlord said that the key would be in the unlocked mailbox for your apartment, which it was. You were officially the tenant of apartment 4B, on the fourth floor. There wasn't an elevator so you were thankful you only had one suitcase to drag upstairs.

After an exhausting walk up, you found your apartment door. It was an all black wooden door with golden lettering. You quite liked the look.

Opening the door, you stepped into your new apartment. As your landlord instructed, the room directly next to the door on the right was your roommate's room, while the other door to your left was the bathroom. Your room would be the space up the stairs.

The loft style apartment was quite cute, with a couch that could become a bed and a nice air conditioning unit. The kitchen was fairly small but that was expected given the price. You quickly lug your stuff the last flight of stairs and dropped it, lightly, on the floor next to the closet. You'd unpack in a bit, but first you needed to figure out what to wear today.

Unzipping the suitcase, you threw a few outfits on your bed. The bed was simple but it was nice that you had one included. It would be such a hassle to go buy a frame and mattress for a few month's of work.

You opted for the professional look: a pair of black slacks, a sky blue button up and a nice pair of loafers. You grabbed your clothes and made your way down to the shower. Your roommate's door had been left slightly opened and your curiosity made you peer inside. There was no one there and the bed was nicely made, as if no one had slept on it at all. You raised your eyebrow at that, but shook it off.

The bathroom was nicely stocked. You'd need to buy some of your own amenities, but you were sure your roommate wouldn't mind if you borrowed some soap in the meantime.

After a nice shower, you felt refreshed. You quickly got ready and checked the clock. A few minutes before 11am. You'd have enough time to grab a quick lunch before heading out to work. A long yawn caught you by surprise and you decided it would be good to go to a cafe for a bit. You packed your bag with the script for the first few episodes and a few extra things you might need, then head out.

Out of courtesy, you shut your roommate's door, for privacy's sake, before you headed out. You recall that there was a nice cafe a few blocks from your apartment so you headed over there. Though, you got a bit lost before finding it. It was a small place, definitely a "hole in the wall", with very delicious food and unlimited tea and coffee. You ordered a simple rice porridge and enjoyed the side dishes it came with.

"Here's your coffee, to-go," the waitress handed the cup to you.

"Thank you," you replied, paying your bill, "it was very delicious."

"The chef will be happy to hear that," the waitress replied, waving goodbye to you.

As you left, she walked back to the kitchen. The chef was in the middle of recipe testing but he looked up when she walked in, saying, "what is it?"

"They're back, Kyungsoo," she said, making his eyes widen.

"What?" He wiped his hands and quickly made his way out of the kitchen and into the street.

Sadly, you had already turned the corner and he missed you once again. As he did every time you came by...

"Damn," his fingers ran through his hair with frustration.

When he came back to the cafe, he sat down at a booth, sulking again. The server walked over to him with a glass of water and he took it, taking a sip to calm down.

"They'll be back," the server reassured him, "they always are."

"I'm starting to think I'm going to miss them every time," he said, swirling the water in his glass. Raising the glass to his lips, he sighed, "I wonder if they even remember me."

With a cold sip of water, he let the memories of you wash away so he could get back to work...

The stroll to the office building didn't take too long, only 15 minutes from the cafe. It was nice walking through Seoul. You liked reading the signs and feeling good that you understood them. The bustle of people, young and old, was something you always enjoyed about city life. Friends were out on lunch breaks together, couples were holding hands and business people strutted in their neat suits, you included.

You held your coffee tight in your hand as you enter the SM Entertainment building, the TV studio who bought the rights to your show's distribution. They've always been an untraditional media studio, with an insane budget. They let their writers run the shows, aka you. You had full authority, alongside the director, over everything that would happened on screen.

The director of this show would be none other than SM Entertainment veteran, Kim Minseok. Minseok has been directing SM shows since the very beginning. People say that a writer creates the foundation and Minseok brings it to life. You were very excited to get a chance to work with Minseok again, as he was the director of Deaths in December and has now personally requested to direct your show Code Blue.

It has been a while since you've been in the SM Entertainment building but it feels like yesterday that you filmed Deaths in December with Jongin, seeing him act out a role he was destined to play. An anti-hero character with a moral compass that to this day, people still debate whether or not he is good or evil. The world has been begging for a sequel, but you just haven't had the time to commit, especially now with Code Blue being your first headliner drama.

You needed to focus on making this show big, both for you and Jongin. Taking a deep breath, you continue on into the office building. You don't really recall SM having this many long hallways, but you shrugged it off, avidly searching for the elevator.

Until...someone bumped right into you as you turned the corner. Not into you, though. Into your hand, with your coffee, making it spill all over your shirt.

Your eyes immediately darted to the person in question and it was...

"You!" You pointed at the man who stole your cab this morning, "it's you! What the hell are you doing here?"

He blinked at you a few times, looked down at your stained shirt then back up into your eyes. Then, he went, "oh shit."

"Are you a stalker or something?" You shook your hand dry, since it was wet from the coffee, "who the hell let you in the building?"

"I-I" he tried to explain but couldn't find the words, blabbering on, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I just had to get somewhere ASAP and I didn't see you coming down the hallway, I-"

"Ugh!" You groaned, shoving your way past him, "get out of my sight, asshole. Haven't you ruined enough of my day?"

You needed to find a bathroom, fast. But you looked down at your phone and it was already a minute to 1pm. You were going to be late to your meeting and you didn't want to make a bad impression, especially not with Jongin in the room.

You were certain they would understand after seeing your coffee stained shirt, then you'd go change and get on with your day. You managed to finally find the elevators, after a few more rounds around the hallways, and make your way up to the top floor, where the writing room is.

Here, at SM Entertainment, tv shows are produced like this: every week, the team gathers to do a table read. After the table read, the writing team, led by you, will make edits to that week's script, based on the table read results. Then, at the end of the week, the episode will be shot over the course of the following week. This cycle continues on until the entire show is completed, so after approximately 50 weeks (25 episodes), or roughly one year's worth of time. This way, the writers can make adjustments to the story as the weeks progress, based on audience reactions.

Code Blue will be premiering every other week, giving the writer's a one week buffer to make edits in order to improve the show. Given this style, SM Entertainment has deliver the highest rated shows in the last decade, listening to what their viewers want and throwing in unexpected twists. You were happy to be working with such a creative company once again.

Finally getting to the top floor, you get out of the elevator and make your way to the labeled "writer's room" where everyone has gathered. You quickly smoothed out your clothes, ignoring the coffee stain, and then walk inside.

Only to make direct eye contact with your taxi stealer yet again.

"Ah, you've finally arrived," Minseok's voice snapped you from your glare. You turned over towards him, meeting his eyes instead.

Minseok, dressed as fashionably as ever, looked you up and down, a bit shocked at your attire. He wore his signature colored contacts as he pouted at you.

"I see you've noticed the elephant in the room," his eyes wandered.

You raised your eyebrow, sarcastically saying, "oh? And here I thought my mind was playing a trick on me. As if today could get any worse. Who is that?! And where is Jong-where is Kai?"

You cleared your throat, hoping no one caught that.

"I see that Kai didn't tell you that he dropped out of this assignment," Minseok sighed and walked over to you. He gestured over to the man in question, saying, "allow me to introduce you to the new star of Code Blue. Korean Idol, Oh Sehun."

Oh Sehun...now why did that name ring a bell?

"And everyone," Minseok then gestured to you, "I'd like you to meet Y/N, our head writer for this show."

Suddenly, Sehun exclaimed, "w-what? Y/N?"

You glared back at him, "yeah, what about it? Don't like my name?"

"N-no," he said, shrinking into his seat. "I'm sorry, I spoke out of turn."

It was just a reflex because he just remembered...someone from his past. You.

It was you. Y/N. The person who disappeared from his life all those years ago. The person who moved to America and never spoke to him again. The person who was standing right in front of him, not knowing who he was at all.

Y/N. His childhood friend. His...first love.

There you were, all these years later, the head writer of the show he's starring in. The person he stole a cab from because his driver decided to quit the day before while he was on the plane back to Korea. The person he spilled coffee all over because he was looking at memes on his phone.

It just had to be you.

"Can we just get a move on?" You groaned.

In front of everyone, you unbuttoned your wet shirt, exposing your undershirt. Then, you opened your bag, pulling out a sweater, throwing it on. In a flash, you were back to your professional self, just a bit more annoyed. Everyone could see the tension in the air and they all knew Oh Sehun had something to do with it.

"How about we all go around introducing ourselves?" Minseok suggested, "I'll start."

You nodded and took your seat across from Minseok, next to a very nervous man.

He never made eye contact with you, trying his best to stay focused on the script in front of him as Minseok spoke. You completely ignored Minseok's introduction, curious to see what made this man so anxious.

Minseok turned to you and  
you said, "I think everyone here knows who I am. Let's move on...to you."

You pointed to the man next to you and he jumped slightly, his eyes looking up at you. Then, he quickly looked away from you and stood up, muttering in a wary tone, "hello, my name is Kim Jongdae and I will be your writing assistant."

"I have an assistant?" You looked over at Minseok, who nodded. Then you turn to Jongdae and said, "nice to meet you. I'll try not to overwork you."

He nodded, whispering "thank you" under his breath. You hoped his nerves would ease a bit. It would be hard to build a professional relationship with him if he was going to be jittery around you all the time.

However, Jongdae wasn't afraid of you. It was really the exact opposite. He admired you greatly, and your work. Unbeknownst to you, Minseok and Jongdae were good friends and when Minseok told him that he'd be directing your upcoming show, Jongdae begged to be put on the team, even if it was just as an assistant. Minseok hesitated at first but agreed, believing it would help push Jongdae into the writing world.

So, Jongdae was more nervous that he would mess up and make you hate him than he was of you...

The next person to introduce himself didn't look up from his script until he realized it was his turn.

"Apologies," he said, standing up in front of everyone, "my name is Park Chanyeol. I will be playing the rival/villain character in Code Blue. Please treat me well."

Chanyeol bowed his head and you were impressed by his professionalism. You had worked with Chanyeol once before and he took his acting very seriously, studying his characters and making sure he delivered them as truthfully as he could. He would be a great fit for the character you wrote.

"I suppose it's my turn. I am your camera man, Byun Baekhyun," he introduced himself rather quickly, shifting his glasses slightly afterwards.

He stood up momentarily to bow then sat back down. His hands were on his stomach, like he was in desperate need of some lunch. You had worked with Baekhyun on Deaths in December. He was a phenomenal camera man back then and you were sure his work has only improved since then.

"I guess that leaves me," Sehun got up and bowed to everyone in the room, "my name is Oh Sehun, I will be playing the main character of Code Blue. This will be my acting debut, so I will be sure to do my very best, thank you."

Minseok clapped his hands together and said, "well, I'm glad everyone has been introduced. Of course, there will be other characters who will be coming in to co star but since those roles aren't as definite as our main character and his rival, we won't be doing formal introductions with any of them. I'm glad we could gather here as a team so everyone can get familiar with one another before the table read. Does anyone have any questions?"

You had quite a few, but you didn't want to waste Minseok's time asking them. You were sure Jongin would explain himself when you saw him in the lobby after this.

Baekhyun raised his hand and Minseok gestured for him to ask his question so he asked, "so what are our individual schedules for the upcoming week?"

"Right, good question," Minseok pulled out a pile of papers from his bag and handed them around.

Each one had someone's name printed at the top and a detailed mapping of the upcoming two weeks.

"As you all know, the first episode will air in three weeks. This week, we will have our table read and edits. Next week we will film. We are filming two episodes in the coming week. Then, we will have a break week, to edit and release trailers before we drop the new episode, primetime, Friday night. After that, the schedule will be consistent, with an episode coming out every other week."

You looked over the schedule. Today was Tuesday, which was scheduled as the "introductions meeting". Thursday when you would be with the actors doing a table read all day, accompanied by Jongdae. You'd have to have to use Wednesday, your free day, to train Jongdae on how to take notes during a table read and also make edits to the two pilot episodes. Then Friday is the final editing day before you would submit the episodes to Minseok, so he could work with the set staff and everyone else to get everything ready to film by the following Monday. Monday through Wednesday would be film days, where you would be on set instructing the actors on their characters and making sure the lines are executed the way you meant for them to be. Thursday and Friday were editing days, meaning you had those off to write for the following week's episode. Then the weekend and a break week, which you would probably also spend writing.

It seemed like a good schedule. It'll definitely keep you busy and hopefully take your mind off of all this external annoyance. You glared over at Sehun, who has been staring at you this whole time. What's his problem anyways?

Suddenly, your phone began to buzz and you pulled it out, reading the name on the screen. Your eyes widened and you turned to Minseok, saying, "I have to take this, but why don't you all go over the schedule with Sehun, since he's never filmed before. He should get the lay of the land before he does something stupid."

With that, you left the room to answer the phone call, not minding the fact that Sehun felt his own heart break into a million pieces at your harsh words...

"Junmyeon," you answered, "fancy hearing from you, how have you been?"

"Good, though just give me one second, I need to fix my tie," he said, moving you over to his bluetooth.

"Where are you going that you need a tie?" You teased, "I thought doctors wore scrubs?"

"Ha ha," he chuckled at your joke, "you know, doctors can dress up too sometime."

"Oh really now?" You smiled into the phone, "I don't think I've ever seen you in a suit. I don't think they'd _suit_ you."

"Really?" He groaned into the phone, making you laugh outloud.

"Oh please, let me make some bad jokes," you begged, "I'm having a rough day."

"So you're officially back in Seoul?" He asked.

"For the year, yeah," you told him, "so...will you be doing my check ups?"

"Of course, Y/N," he said, "that's why I called. You said you...relapsed, right?"

You pinched your forehead, sighing, "I don't know, Junmyeon. Sometimes it feels that way, but I don't know if it's just my own fears playing tricks with my mind or not."

"Don't worry, I'm here for you," he reassured you. "When's your next free day?"

"It was supposed to be tomorrow, but I should get started on work. I can't leave everything to my assistant."

Even though you were sure Minseok wouldn't hire an amateur, you knew nothing about Jongdae or his skills as a writer. You wouldn't be able to trust him this early to manage your script alone.

"I can do a house call whenever you get home. Just call me and I'll be there."

"You're the best, you know that?" You told him honestly, "thank you, Junmyeon. How about afterwards, we can get some dinner, my treat!"

"I'd like that," he replied, "now I should be heading to my conference. I am the keynote speaker after all."

"You can tell me all about it tomorrow."

"Will do, see you then."

He quickly hangs up the phone and take a deep breath, before letting out a long sigh.

You were finally back in Seoul. After all those years, you're back, and for a whole year. Junmyeon would finally have the time to tell you how he felt.

After getting into the best medical school in Korea, he fought day and night to finish his studies as soon as possible so he could get out into the field and help people, while also doing research. His research is well-known across all of Korea, even around the world. He worked hard to ensure that his patients could live comfortable lives.

So that you, one day, could too.

Junmyeon was the only person who knew your deepest, darkest secret. The illness that you were born with. He is one of the leading researchers of that illness, as his mother suffered from it as well. So, he vowed to do his best to save you and protect you.

That's just how much he loved you, after all.

So, he locked your secret away and used it to power his drive to succeed. He would find a cure, even if it was the last thing he'd ever do...

You walked back into your meeting and it seemed like Sehun had been briefed rather well on the situation at hand. You still rolled your eyes at him as you took your seat once again.

Minseok put his hands together once again and said, "well, I think everyone knows what they need to do, so I'll leave you all now to settle in. Looking forward to the first table read on Thursday. Fighting!"

You waved goodbye to Minseok as he left the room, then you got up as well, turning to Jongdae, "follow me."

"Ah, of course," he shot up from his chair and quickly followed you out.

You walked him down the hallway, towards your shared office. There were two tables for the two of you and you invited him to sit at one of them. He listened, sitting down. You closed the door behind you and pulled out the scripts for the two pilot episodes.

"Here's your assignment for tonight," you gave him the scripts, "I need to read through both scripts and mark any grammatical errors and possible inconsistencies."

"Inconsistencies?" He questioned nervously.

"You know," you rubbed your temples, trying to find the words, "like, if you read a scene and you find that the character acts very different in that scene compared to another scene, mark it. You need to understand the characters and finding inconsistencies is a way of building the character in the right direction. I will mark my own set and we will discuss tomorrow. Make notes as to why you found those scenes inconsistent and please, don't be afraid to be critical."

Jongdae nodded, looking at the script as if it was intimidating. But he wanted to impress you, so he promised to himself that he would try his best to do as you said.

"Also," you handed him your phone, "call yourself."

"Hmm?" His eyes widened at your gesture.

"Call yourself so you have my number, in case you have any questions about future plotlines, I'll provide you with any insight you need to edit," you explained, waiting for him to input his phone number.

He listened and called himself and his phone buzzed in his pocket.

"Good," you took your phone back, "I answer texts better than emails, but if you need something regarding future plot, please call me. I can't disclose anything over text, in case someone hijacks our phones and tries to spoil the show for everyone. Protocol."

"I understand," Jongdae said.

"Cool," you gave him a thumbs up, "I look forward to working with you. I'll see you here at 9am tomorrow?"

"Mhmm!" He nodded, this time with a soft grin. So, he smiles? You smiled back, which made his heart skip a beat.

"See you then, Jongdae," you waved goodbye as you opened the door of the office.

"See you tomorrow, Head Writer," he said formally with a bow of his head.

You stopped at the door and turned back to him, meeting his eyes, "just call me Y/N. We're practically the same age, no need for formalities."

In that moment, you looked so cool to him, his cheeks grew pink...

You yawned, walking down the hallway, only to stumble upon Baekhyun. You waved at him and he waved back, jogging up to you.

"How have you been, Y/N?" He asked.

"I've been alright, busy," you replied.

"I could tell, I watched your American show," he said with his signature smile, "it was really good."

"I'm glad you liked it," you felt happy to hear that, "though I'm sure it would've been better with you behind the camera."

"You flatter me," he replied. Then, he pulled out a flyer from his bag, "oh, I'm also in a show at a local gallery, if you want to check it out."

"Woah, you're still doing these?" You grabbed the flyer from his hand, seeing his art printed nicely as the flyer graphic.

Baekhyun had a knack for coloring film photographs, displaying them in art museums all over Korea. You couldn't believe that he was still doing it. It was incredible.

"I'll definitely go," you told him, tucking the flyer in your bag.

"Why don't we go together, during the break week?" He suggested.

"That's a good idea," you nodded. "Let's do it."

"I'll text you then, I should head out and do some location searching," he quickly waved goodbye and headed out towards the elevators.

Baekhyun's heart was pounding the entire time and wouldn't stop pounding when he finally got into the elevator. He did it. He finally asked you out. And you said yes! He let out a huge sigh of relief.

Now, he couldn't wait for the break week. He was a real workaholic, spending almost all his time behind a lens. But he would give it all up if it meant seeing you for a day.

He really couldn't stop smiling all the way home...

Before you can even register what to do next, an arm wrapped around your shoulder. You looked up to see that it was Chanyeol. Then, he suddenly ruffled your hair!

"Hey, hey!" You swatted him away and he laughed so much at that, clapping his hands together.

"You look great with messy hair, Y/N," he teased.

"You're lucky you're tall, Chanyeol, or else I'd do the same to you!"

"One day, you'll grow," he said, mocking you slightly, "that day just isn't today."

"What do you want anyways?" You folded your arms, "you always mess with me when you want something."

"I want a cup of coffee, with you," he answered, "right now!"

"Ah!" You exclaimed as Chanyeol took your hand and dragged you into the elevator, hitting the lobby floor.

"I know a great place nearby, we should catch up," he eagerly told you as the elevator went down. You noticed that he still hasn't let go of your hand, intertwining your fingers in his. You sighed. Chanyeol has always been a jokester and you knew fighting it would only end in him tickling the life out of you. So, you let him drag you out of the elevator, holding hands.

Only to have your other hand yanked away by someone else. Chanyeol and you both turned at the same time, to see who had grabbed you, and it was...

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Sehun?" You said, pulling your hand away from him, though unsuccessfully. Sehun had a strong grip.

"What the hell is he doing to you?" Sehun said, glaring at Chanyeol, "let go."

"Why should I?" Chanyeol fought back, "you're the one who should let go."

What the hell is going on right now! You stood there, one hand being held by Chanyeol, the other by Sehun, what is this scene!

If only you knew that this would be the beginning of an ongoing feud between Chanyeol and Sehun...over you.

"Look," Sehun began to explain, "there's been a misunderstanding, Y/N and I are actually-"

But before he could finish what he wanted to say, someone walks through the automatic doors at the front of SM Entertainment. His aura was captivating and everyone around suddenly gasped as he entered the room, making you all turn in that direction.

You, with both men holding your hands, looked straight at the man and went:

"Jongin, is that you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And that's a wrap on Episode One! I hope you all enjoyed the read. I tried my very best to format it like a Korean drama, so heads up, chapters will be VERY LONG and FULL OF CRAZY HAPPENINGS! If you enjoyed this series, please let me know (*ﾉ∀'*) so I can continue to write more episodes for you all! 
> 
> For all those wondering, Lay has a very important role in the series, so I have not forgotten him! He just shows up later on ~ no spoilers though!
> 
> Speaking of which, if anyone would like to submit EXO images (gifs are HIGHLY recommended, but they have to be under 3MB) to be used in this fic, please link me your Pinterest board!
> 
> I will try my best to get Episode Two out ASAP, thank you so much for reading!


	2. Episode One, End Credits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **This episode's title track is Vroom Vroom by EXO-CBX.**

Characters listed in the order they appear along with character summaries (for this episode):

"Head Writer" Y/N:

You are a talented television writer, returning back to Korea after five years to write/consult for Code Blue, a story you're passionate about, which you thought was starring Kai, who you know as Kim Jongin, your first love and the only reason why you even agreed to come back to Korea. You find out, after a tiring series of events, that Oh Sehun, the popular idol, has taken up the lead role...

"Childhood Friend" Oh Sehun:

Oh Sehun is a world-renowned Korean pop sensation. He is known not only for his singing but for his rapping as well. Since Kim Jongin had dropped out of the role, Oh Sehun was casted for the lead in the television show you wrote. On his first day back in Korea after a weekend overseas, he manages to steal your cab and spill coffee all over you. He is embarrassed, especially after learning that you were Y/N, his dearest childhood friend and...first love.

"Cafe Owner" Do Kyungsoo:

Do Kyungsoo is a chef at a "hole in the wall" cafe in Seoul. His cafe has many regulars who enjoy his unlimited supply of coffee and tea, you included. His menu changes throughout the day, depending on his mood and what he feels like making that day with the ingredients available. He somehow knows you but always misses you. But you both are closer than you appear...

"Show Director" Kim Minseok:

Kim Minseok is one of SM Entertainment's first and most famous directors. He directed the film you co-wrote Deaths in December, starring Kai, and eagerly hopped onto Code Blue when he found out you wrote it. He is well known for his fashion sense and his colored contacts. Many claim that his colored eyes give him the sight to make incredible shows. No one has refuted it yet. You both work well together...

"Assistant Writer" Kim Jongdae:

Kim Jongdae is a newly appointed writing assistant at SM Entertainment, the television studio producing your drama. He strives to be a writer, like you, someday, looking up to you greatly. He vows to do whatever you require of him with the utmost diligence. Mostly because he's secretly in love with you and your work. But is it really a secret...

"Camera Man" Byun Baekhyun:

Byun Baekhyun is a talented camera man, having worked with you on the set of Deaths in December. He is also an artist who colors over film-based photographs. His art is displayed all over Korea, in galleries big and small. He also has a giant crush on you, ever since he met you...

"Rival Actor" Park Chanyeol:

Park Chanyeol is a veteran actor, having started at a young age. He is a household name and currently rivals Kai in the acting charts. He is well known for his darker characters, which made him the right fit for the villain on your tv show. You and Chanyeol had worked on another tv show together, details currently unknown...

"Acclaimed Researcher" Kim Junmyeon:

Kim Junmyeon is a established doctor and medical researcher, graduating top of his class at the best medical school in all of Korea. His work centers around an illness you have, which remains a mystery for now, as he avidly looks for a cure. You and him have known each other for a long time but the question of how remains unanswered...

"First Love" Kim Jongin/Kai:

Kai, known to you as Kim Jongin, is a famous actor and model. In his youth in America, you two were neighbors and quickly became best friends. Your friendship drifted after Kai took up an acting opportunity in Korea over going to college, which led to his growing success as an actor. This was the first time either of you would be seeing one another after 5 years apart...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed these fun little end credits! I'll be doing this at the end of each episode, to recap the character relationships and throw in some teasers for the future. Also, it gives me a chance to talk to you all and see how you're doing, fellow EXO-L's. 
> 
> Every episode will have a "title track" which could (wink wink) be relevant to the episode's contents. This is a way for me to share my favorite EXO songs, especially ones that I feel are under appreciated! 
> 
> Who's your favorite character so far? Who are you rooting for? 
> 
> And who needs more screentime? ~


	3. Episode Two: Sorry Not Sorry

"Y/N!" Jongin softly said your name as his eyes caught onto yours. You would be able to spot that smile from anywhere.

You couldn't believe he was smiling at you. Then, you glance at the two men next to you, who were occupying your hands.

You quickly dropped them both and ran up to him, saying, "you look good, Jongin."

Jongin grinned at your compliment, patting your head gently, "you do too. You look a bit tired though. Long flight?"

You nodded, your heart beating fast at his kind touch. You couldn't keep your eyes off him. It had been five years but he still looked as adorable as he did when you both were younger. Except now, he's grown into a man, a very handsome one.

His eyes never left yours as he said, "I'm sorry for not telling you about Code Blue."

Jongin's eyes dropped and he looked sincerely sad about the whole ordeal. You reached up to caress his cheek, trying to comfort him, "hey, it's okay. Things happen."

He nodded into your hand, smiling once again, "you're too kind to me, Y/N."

"I try," you smiled back at him. Then you asked, "so did you come here just to tell me that?"

"Ah, no," he said, taking your hands, "I also wanted to share some news with you."

"Oh?" You tilted your head, puzzled. "What's up?"

Jongin was silent for a while, trying to find the right words to say. He played with your hands as he thought, then found his words.

"The reason why I can't do Code Blue is because I'm doing a sequel...for Deaths in December!" Jongin exclaimed happily, "the head writer wants to make a tv show sequel and the fans have been begging for it for years so I couldn't say no."

"Woah, Jongin, that's amazing!" You matched his happiness, squeezing his hands tightly. They were soft and warm and you could tell he was truly happy.

"We're sad that you aren't on the team, but we all know how much Code Blue means to you, so we couldn't steal you away," Jongin looked a bit down as he said that but he picked himself back up, "but, just know that we're always thinking of 'what would Y/N do'."

"That's really sweet of you."

His words touched your heart and you wanted to cry, but you had to hold it in. You didn't want to seem too emotional over such a gesture, but it really did warm your heart.

"I also...want to ask you something," he said all of a sudden.

"What is it, Jongin?" Your eyes widened, your heartbeat speeding up.

He held your hands tightly as he spoke, "we've known each other a long time. You've been there for me for as long as I can remember. I really do love you, Y/N."

It was so difficult for you to hold back the tears now, because Jongin was actually doing it. He was actually telling you that he loved you, which is all you ever wanted. Finally, you both could be together once again.

"I'll always be here for you," you replied, looking up into his eyes. "I love you too."

"Then, will you forgive me for this?"

As the words came out of his mouth, your heart dropped.

"Forgive you, for what?"

"Y/N," he brushed your hair back sweetly as he spoke painful words to you, "I don't think we should see each other anymore."

The world around you felt like it was caving in all of a sudden. What was he even saying? First he tells you he's not doing Code Blue, and that he's shooting a sequel of Deaths in December without you. And now, he never wants to see you again?

"What are you saying, Jongin?" You let go of his hands, shaking, "are you joking with me right now?"

"I'm sorry, Y/N," he said to you, "it's for the better, I promise. I'm too busy now with my career and I don't want to continue to lead you on like this. Whatever we had, it's over and...I think it's time to let me go. You said it yourself. 'Perhaps we just weren't meant to be.'"

"Jongin, why are you doing this?" Suddenly, tears overwhelmed you as you cried out, "I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that we-"

"Y/N, I'm sorry, but I have to go now," Jongin looked around, seeing that people were starting to pay attention to you both, probably recognizing him.

"Jongin!" You grabbed him by the sleeve, not letting him go, "you can't just leave me with that!"

"Please, Y/N," he gently took your hand off him, "don't make this harder than it needs to be. I truly am sorry and I really do love you. But...we can't talk anymore. Don't text me, I've changed my number. I wish you the best with your show."

With that, Jongin pulled a pair of sunglasses out of his bag and threw them on, covering his face with a mask as he walked away from you. You watched as he stepped out of the building, leaving you forever.

How could he...say that he loved you, and then tell you that you both should never see each other again? What the hell is wrong with him!

Before you could even register it, you had dropped down to your knees, tears falling from your eyes. All the while, Chanyeol and Sehun had seen and heard the whole thing. They didn't know anything about Kai, besides the fact that he was an actor who had studied in America in his youth.

But they knew you two had history now. Deep rooted history. Enough for him to make you cry.

You almost never cried, but the few times you had, it was because of Kim Jongin. Because he broke your heart.

Again...

You quickly got up and shoved past both Chanyeol and Sehun, making your way to the bathroom. You couldn't let anyone else see you cry, especially if they had seen you talking with the famous actor Kai. They would think something was up and the tabloids would be filled with terrible things. You swung the bathroom door open and you thanked the heavens that it was an individual one, so you could cry in peace. You looked at yourself in the mirror, seeing how broken you were.

"Why did it always have to be him?" You cried to yourself, gripping the bathroom sink to steady yourself. There, you let it all out, all the emotion that had been building up inside of you. You cried and cried and cried until you had no tears left...

Chanyeol turned to Sehun, folding his arms, insinuating, "so are you here to do the same thing?"

"What?" Sehun faced Chanyeol, his blood steadily rising, "what makes you think I'm anything like that guy!"

"I heard your conversation in the hallway," Chanyeol told him, making Sehun step back slightly. "You stole Y/N's cab and spilled coffee all over their shirt. Then, you grabbed their hand!"

"Hey, look, I don't know how you know Y/N, but we're closer than you think," Sehun fought back with his words, "I've known Y/N since childhood."

"Really?" Chanyeol scoffed, "it didn't seem like Y/N knew you at all."

Chanyeol's words pierced Sehun's heart, making him waver. He didn't understand how you didn't recognize his name. You and him had been inseparable as children, going to school together up until you left for America. You were his best friend...and he loved you.

So much.

"I haven't seen Y/N in years," Sehun finally confessed to Chanyeol, "that's probably why they don't remember me. But we were good friends, I swear on my life."

"Even friends can piss each other off," Chanyeol rolled his eyes at Sehun. "I'm going to see if Y/N is okay."

"Wait," Sehun stopped Chanyeol, "I'm coming too."

"What good will you do?" Chanyeol groaned, turning away from him and walking towards the bathroom.

Sehun quickly followed behind, explaining, "I need to tell Y/N who I am. Clear up this whole misunderstanding."

"Look, Sehun," it was Chanyeol's turn to stop him, locking eyes, "don't you think Y/N may have forgot you for a reason? You said it yourself, it's been _years _since you both talked. Ever took the time to ask yourself why?"

With that, Chanyeol leaves Sehun, who is frozen in place. Sehun thinks back to all those years ago, to the day you left.

To the one mistake that has haunted his life.

You left Korea when you were 15 years old, only a year younger than Sehun. You had known each other for almost 10 years. 10 years of history.

And yet, before you left, Sehun couldn't find the courage to tell you how he felt. Rather, he...made the biggest mistake of his life.

He let you go.

You stood in the bathroom and realized why the name Oh Sehun had rung so many bells in your head since the taxi ride. You didn't put two and two together, until now.

Because the first time you ever felt this painful, the first time you cried over a boy.

It was over Oh Sehun...

You remember the scene as clear as day, even though you locked it away in your mind all these years.

"Just go," Sehun told you.

"You aren't even going to say goodbye?"

He had turned away from you, so that you couldn't see his tears, and said, "what's the point in saying goodbye? You already said goodbye when you chose to go to America to study, without even telling me, your best friend."

"Sehun," you reached out to him but he slapped your hand away, making you flinch.

"Don't talk to me ever again," he said, regret in his throat but anger in his tone, "just leave."

And just like that, you left him.

You left in tears and cried on the plane to America. The entire time, you blamed yourself for not telling Sehun that you were going to America to seek treatment. But you couldn't let him know you were sick. It would only hurt him more. At least that's what you believed.

For him, he blamed himself because he should've told you to stay. He should've told you that the reason why he was so hurt was because he loved you so much and seeing you go made his heart break into a million pieces. But he shouldn't have been so harsh with you. He wanted to apologize for his behavior, both today and back then.

He prayed you'd give him a second chance.

However, after the events of today, you closed up your heart. You vowed never to let anyone in ever again. You didn't want to feel this way anymore. You didn't want to feel your heart break again. It was all too much.

"Y/N?" Chanyeol knocked on the bathroom door, taking you away from your thoughts.

"Yeah?" You answered, wiping the final tears from your eyes.

"Is everything okay?" He asked, his voice as soft as the clouds.

"I'm fine," you said, washing your face quickly, "I'm coming out."

You take a final look and were thankful that the cold water made your face look a little less puffy. You let out a long sigh and then take a deep breath.

No more crying. No more tears.

If Jongin wanted you to move on, then you were going to put him behind you and dive right into your work.

So, you opened the door to the bathroom and Chanyeol was there, waiting for you. Then, you said, "want to eat some street food?"

His eyes lit up at your request and nodded, "coffee can wait!"

You smiled at his jovial attitude and you both walked together. Chanyeol knew you weren't feeling good so he wanted to make sure you smiled a lot when you were with him. He threw his arm around you and messed with your hair, making you laugh. He really liked when you laughed.

Though, your laughter fizzled away as you couldn't seem to avoid the inevitable encounter with Oh Sehun, who ran up to you right when he saw you. Chanyeol rolled his eyes yet again, annoyed that Sehun kept interfering with his time with you.

"Y/N, I-"

You crossed your arms at him, "you what? You're sorry?"

"I am," Sehun said with remorse in his voice, dropping his head, "I'm sorry for what happened today and...back then. I know you probably hate me now, but I hope you can at least forgive me."

You sighed. You hated that look. Sehun always did a look when he was being honest. It was sincere and you knew he really meant it. He hasn't changed at all since he was a kid.

"You're an asshole, Oh Sehun," you replied, making him feel even more low. But then, you said, "but we're going to have to work together so...whatever. I'll move past it. Just look out for the updated script tomorrow and learn your character. And watch where you're going."

That's as much kindness as you could show him right now and he was grateful for it. He gave you a light grin and nodded, stating formally, "I will work hard, Head Writer!"

"You better," you told him, walking away, gesturing to Chanyeol, "let's go. I need some beer."

"Coming!" Chanyeol jogged up to you. He turned back towards Sehun and mouthed 'watch yourself' then put his arm around you.

Sehun took in a deep breath, trying to still his beating heart. Now, he had a new mission. To become friends with you once more.

If only he knew how hard that task would be...

In the meantime, you and Chanyeol walked down the streets of Seoul, picking up skewers here and there as a snack as you browse the many food stalls before settling on a nice place that had a good supply of beer.

"Aren't you...afraid of being out in public?" You said under your breath to Chanyeol.

He shrugged, answering, "you can't live your life being afraid of what other people think. The tabloids can write whatever they want. The people closest to me know what's the truth."

"Woah," you looked up at Chanyeol, "you're so cool."

There was an air about Chanyeol. He was honest with himself and he knew who he was. He didn't need to worry about what others thought of him. It was admirable.

Chanyeol scoffed, but then smiled at your compliment, saying, "well, aren't you afraid of being seen with a celebrity?"

You laughed, shaking your head, "I feel like I'm used to it. Plus, people go out with their writing team all the time, nothing out of the ordinary."

"Then, let's drink to that!" Chanyeol said as the glasses of beer arrived at your table.

You both talked and drank until the evening turned into night. Chanyeol was easy to talk to and he made you laugh so much after such a long and terrible day. It was nice that you had someone like him in your life.

He arranged for his driver to take you home first and he walked you to the front of your apartment building.

"Can you walk upstairs by yourself?" Chanyeol asked, touching your cheek, "you're a little red."

You shake him off, saying, "I'll be fine, we barely drank!"

He nodded with a grin, messing with your hair once again, "then good night, Y/N. Go to bed and don't stay up writing."

You laughed and said, "no promises. Good night, Chanyeol."

In the cool autumn air, Chanyeol wrapped his arms around you, giving you a nice and warm hug. Then, he gently pressed his lips against the top of your head before getting back into his car. He waved at you from the rolled down car window as the car drove away. You waved back, touching your head after the car turned away.

Such a light gesture made your heart feel at ease. How pleasant. You then went into your apartment, getting into bed, passing out not long after...

The morning came quicker than you thought and you woke up to papers stuck to your face. You had fallen asleep reading over your edits last night and a piece of the script was glued to your face. You peeled it off then stretched.

It was almost 7am, which meant you still had time before you had to go meet with Jongdae about the script. You decided it would be nice to do the final round of your edits at that nice cafe you went to yesterday. Hopefully they didn't mind seeing you again.

When you went downstairs, you saw something on the kitchen countertop. It was a set of soaps and other toiletries, with a little card attached.

_To the new tenant, here's some soap of your own. Quit using mine. Thanks. _

You raised your eyebrows at the note, looking around. The door to your roommate's bedroom was open once again and you curiously walked over, only to see that the bed was neatly made once again, as if no one even slept there. You scratched your head, confused as to when they got on and when they even put out this stuff without you noticing.

You shrugged it off, taping a thank you note to their door before showering and getting ready. Since you didn't need to impress anyone, you wore a simple shirt and a pair of sweats. Today was a writing day, after all.

Though, you remembered that you would be seeing Junmyeon afterwards, so you pulled out your phone to text him.

_Hey, where should we meet tonight? - 6:49am._

As you gathered your script and editing materials, your phone buzzed.

_I'll send you my address. We'll _ _order_ _ in. - 6:51am. _

You smiled, texting him back a sticker of a character going 'ok!' very dramatically. He quickly messaged back with a sticker that said 'see you soon'.

Then, he followed up with:

_What time will you be over? - 6:55am._

Thinking about today, you didn't know how long you might spend with Jongdae going over the script. You needed to send it out by 5pm so you didn't expect to stay any longer than that.

_Maybe 6pm? Will you be _ _home_ _ then? - 6:57am._

_I'll__ be there before 7pm. Staff __meeting_ _tonight__. - 6:58am. _

_Ah...okay, then __I'll__ be there at 7. __I'll_ _bring__ some __cake__! - 6:59am._

_Don't eat too _ _many_ _ sweets, Y/N! - 7:00am._

_Who are you, my _ _doctor_ _? - 7:01am. _

Junmyeon followed up with an angry sticker, with a character with flames around it. You laughed and replied back with a white flag.

_Alright, alright, no cake. Beer? - 7:03am._

_Wine. - 7:04am. _

_I'll _ _bring_ _ a bottle over. Any or...? - 7:05am. _

It took a while for him to respond, but he did momentarily.

_I already ordered some, just pick it up for me at this store. - 7:10am. _

You saved the address of the store and his home address. It looked like he was staying at one of the high rise apartments. Doctor's salary. The store was close by so you'd grab it on the way there.

_See you tonight! - 7:12am. _

_Don't work too hard. - 7:13am._

_Same to you! - 7:13am. _

Before you knew it, you had been texting Junmyeon for over 20 minutes! You really had to head out now. With all your things gathered, you made you way to the nearby cafe. There were pastries on the breakfast menu today, which you were thankful for.

You sat at the cafe for an hour before leaving for the office. It had such an old-timey vibe to it. Such an aesthetic really did age well. You managed to polish up your edits before leaving.

But you couldn't leave right away.

Because your eyes caught a glimpse of the cafe owner and he looked...so strangely familiar. He had glanced out the window for a moment, the sunlight dancing on his skin. You wondered what he might be looking at. Or who he may be looking for.

Then, he turned over and saw you. Your eyes met one another and you both stared at each other for a moment. Why did he look so familiar?

"Ah, you're here again," he said to you.

"Y-yes, I am," you stuttered, not expecting him to engage in conversation.

"Wait right there," he motioned for you to stay where you were.

You glanced down at your phone and sighed. You hoped Jongdae wouldn't mind that you may be a little late.

The cafe owner came back out from the kitchen with a box and handed it to you, "here's some more pastries, for the road."

"Oh, I'm good, I already had one," you replied. You couldn't just take them!

"It's on me," he urged you to take them, "since you're a regular, I want you to try this test batch of new pastries. Let me know what you think next time."

"Woah," you looked into the clear top of the box at all the new pastries, "you made all of these today?"

He smiled at your intrigue and nodded, "I tend to recipe test at all hours of the day. Today felt like a pastry kind of day."

"They look amazing, I'll eat them well," you got up and bowed. Then you put out your hand, "I'm Y/N, by the way."

"Do Kyungsoo," he introduced himself. "Come back soon and let me know how you like them."

"I definitely will, Kyungsoo," you eagerly put the box into your bag.

"Don't forget your coffee," he went to the counter and poured two cups of coffee to-go for you, putting them on a nice, portable tray.

"You're too kind, thank you," you smiled and he smiled back.

"Come back soon," he waved goodbye to you.

One of the waitresses walked up to Kyungsoo once you exited the building, asking, "so is that the infamous Y/N?"

He nodded, watching you as you walked down the street, leaving him once again.

"Perhaps this time, they'll stay long enough to remember me..."

You wondered the whole way why Kyungsoo gave you two cups of coffee, but you decided it would be nice to give on to Jongdae. He must be a bit on edge, given your attitude yesterday. You didn't want to seem like the scary boss type.

Quickly, you made your way into the SM Entertainment building, striding as fast as you could through the lobby, so you didn't have to relive the memories of yesterday. Washing it all out with some beer with Chanyeol then keeping yourself busy with work will be enough to help you forget Jongin. If you could even call him that anymore.

A part of you thought back to yesterday and how the Jongin you knew would never do something so painful. He wasn't that type of person. He had always been so kind to you, so caring. Even when you both couldn't talk as much anymore, he still made an effort to reply to you when he could. How could that man be the same as the one who dumped you yesterday?

Maybe the gossip channels were right. Maybe there's a difference between Jongin and "Kai," the persona he takes on stage. So...you wondered who you spoke to yesterday.

But, putting that aside, you had a script to edit with a fairly new writing assistant. Given that he was hired by Minseok, you had faith that Jongdae wasn't a complete novice.

Though, you weren't really expecting to see him asleep at in the shared office, with papers scattered across the desks. He was sleeping soundly and in a way, he looked really...cute. You scanned the desk for his copy of the script, which was the only neat thing in the mess. Picking it up, you laid it on your desk and pulled out your own.

As Jongdae slept, you compared your notes with his. He had very tasteful insights and seemed to have done a lot of deep thinking about the characters and the future of the plot. He even wrote his own speculations for what was going to happen, and what he might like to happen. You smiled, feeling a bit closer to him after reading his personal notes. He probably didn't want you to see all of the notes, like the ones where he wrote "gasp!" at the climax of the episode, but you found them telling of his personality beyond his normal nervous self.

Suddenly, the table stirred and you looked up from the script, your eyes meeting a very sleepy Jongdae.

For a moment, your heart skipped a beat at his direct stare. He seemed dazed, not really realizing how intensely he was looking at you. But then, he blinked a few times, clearing his vision, and his eyes immediately widened.

Jongdae quickly sat straight up in his seat, fixing his hair and rubbing his eyes, before saying, "ah, Head Writer, sorry, I-I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"No worries, Jongdae," you said, handing him one of the coffees Kyungsoo gave you, "I see you've been working hard."

He humbly accepted your coffee, nodding his head, "I-I got here really early. I didn't want to be late."

"How early is really early?" You asked, your eyebrow raised.

"Uh...4am?" He turned away from you as he sipped his coffee, a bit embarrassed.

But, you laughed, which made him turn back to you. You waved your hand at him, saying, "I'm not laughing at you. I'm just...you remind me a lot of myself, that's all."

Then you pulled out the box of pastries from your bag, opening them up. You and Jongdae both stared in awe at how delicious they looked.

"Here," you laid it in an empty spot where your desks connected, "have some breakfast."

"I can't take your food, Head Writer," he shook his head but you urged on.

"Y/N," you repeated your name, "and it's our food. We need energy if we're going to write."

Jongdae caught your eye and he looked at you with a grateful grin on his face, saying, "thank you, Y/N."

You smiled back at him and said, "just don't take this one, it's mine."

You grabbed one of the croissants and bit into it. It was flaky and delicious. The filling was a mix of matcha and chocolate and you actually enjoyed the subtle bitter note. You ate it with your latte as you skimmed through the rest of Jongdae's notes.

In the meantime, Jongdae cleaned up his desk with a croissant hanging in his mouth. It didn't take him long to finish clearing his desk and you finished reading by then.

Once you both finished your pastries, you began the editing process by telling him, "I liked everything you said."

"What?" He replied, startled.

You handed him the script he wrote on and he looked in shock.

"I-I didn't realize you read my notes," he blushed, taking the script from you.

"Don't worry," you told him, handing you his script, "I mark mine up the same way."

He reluctantly takes your script, surprised that you'd even show him your personal notes. But he was on your team, so you needed him to know how you thought as well.

"I think you have a good grasp on the characters we're working on and the story we're trying to tell," you explained, "and I wanted to answer a few of the questions you had written down. So, where do you want to start?"

Jongdae gulped, looking down at his script. He couldn't believe that he got to ask you about your writing. There was so much he was curious about! But, he decided to stick to the questions he had scribbled down on the script.

"So," he began, "is Chanyeol's character really the bad guy?"

Your lips curved up when he said that, "that's a very good question Jongdae. What do you think?"

"Well..." Jongdae cleared his throat before continuing, "the premise of the show is that Chanyeol's character, who is only know as The Heartbreaker, has been going around causing people to mysteriously die from heart attacks. Thus, the title Code Blue. But, from what we've established in the first two episodes, he only attacks corrupt officials and then relinquishes their wealth to redistribute to the people those officials have hurt. And Sehun's character, Agent 94, has been tasked with finding The Heartbreaker before more people die. However, it feels like the viewer...shouldn't want Agent 94 to catch The Heartbreaker. At least, that's the aura that the show gives off, which makes me feel like The Heartbreaker isn't the main villain of the series, but the people who have control over Agent 94 are."

You clapped, startling Jongdae. You quickly followed up with, "I think you've got it down. I'm impressed."

"T-Thank you," he bowed his head.

"To answer your question, The Heartbreaker is a morally ambiguous character. His entire character poses that question of "is he good or is he bad". We will explore more about him throughout the series. Everyone will view him differently and that's the point. It'a about the conflict we feel inside of us. Do we support a killer who kills for good or do we support the law in the name of 'justice'? Do we want him to get caught or do we want him to be free? Who gets to choose, and why?"

"Woah," a new voice entered the room, applauding your summary of the story. "We should have you read the trailer bit, Y/N."

You and Jongdae turn your heads to see Minseok, who was standing at your office's doorway.

He was wearing this giant black coat with tiny stripes and it looked like it engulfed him, but it also matched perfect with the stripped sweater we was wearing underneath. You wished you could look that fashionable at work. He didn't have his signature contacts in, presumably because he was in storyboard mode, not director mode.

"Sorey to interrupt," Minseok said, turning to you, "but can I steal you for a bit?"

"Of course," you stood up, then turned to Jongdae, "read over my notes and then edit the script using both of our insights. I agree with everything you wrote so you're free to cut and add whatever you'd like."

"A-ah, okay, Y/N," he nodded, "I'll get it done."

"Thank you, Jongdae," you said with a wave, "I'll be back."

He waved back to you and then you left the office with Minseok, closing the door behind you.

"Where do you wanna talk?" You asked Minseok.

He guided you to the elevator and said, "let's talk in my office. More quiet."

Minseok pressed his keycard against the elevator at the far end. You hadn't even noticed it before. The elevator immediately opened and Minseok invited you to go in, which you did.

The doors closed and suddenly it got really cold as he pushed the top floor button. You shivered slightly and then suddenly something warm wrapped around you. Minseok draped his coat over you, buttoning the first button.

"It's chilly up there, but I'm used to it," he explained and you nodded, slipping your arms into his jacket. It smelled like sandalwood. He had a nice cologne on.

The elevator doors opened and your mouth practically hit the floor.

"Minseok, why is your office like five times the size of mine?" You asked as you stepped out of the elevator.

"I am the director, Y/N," he said, patting you on the head, "let's head over to my desk."

You followed him and watched as he sat at his desk, looking incredibly professional despite wearing streetwear. He gestured for you to take a seat and you did, sitting in the available chairs across from him. Then, he folded his hands together, his eyes looking right at yours.

And he asked, "what did Kim Jongin say to you yesterday?"

You're taken back, "how did you know-"

"Let's say that if someone happens in this building, I know about it," he answered, "now, tell me. Why was he here?"

You looked down, having tried your hardest to shove the memories away, replying, "do I really need to say?"

"Y/N, we've known each other for a long time," Minseok noted, "if something happened, you can tell me. After all, I'm the only person who knows abou you and Jongin, remember?"

That was true. You had...drunkily confessed everything to Minseok one night after the filming of Deaths in December ended. He held you as you cried over Jongin. He has always been very kind to you and that's why you vowed never to cry in front of him again. You didn't want to be a burden.

But here you were, reliving the events of yesterday.

"Minseok..." you sighed, fighting back the tears, "he told me never to see him again."

"He said that to you?" Minseok seemed shocked.

Jongin loved you very much, that he knew for sure. So much so, that Minseok never dared to interfere. No matter how much Jongin's success pained you for taking up his time, Minseok knew that Jongin loved you dearly and that you would never stop fighting for him.

Until now.

You nodded, letting out another sad sigh, "I don't understand it. How could he just throw away everything we had built? I know I said some stupid things but...I loved him. And he loved me. How could he tell me that he loved me then just...never want to see me again?"

How could Jongin do that? Minseok wondered. He couldn't even tell you how he felt, but Jongin somehow could confess his love but then ultimately let you go. In a way, Minseok was envious that Jongin had the chance to confess and have his feeling reciprocated. But he was also pissed that Jongin gave it all up.

Minseok pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose, annoyed that this whole situation happened to you. You deserved much, much better than this.

"Y/N, perhaps it's for the better," Minseok told you honestly.

"That's what Jongin said," you wiped the tears that threatening to spill out from your eyes. You forgot you were wearing Minseok's jacket, which was now stained with your tears, "ah, I'm sorry, Minseok."

Minseok got up from his desk and walked over to you, kneeling down before you. Then, he opened his arms up, saying, "don't cry alone, Y/N. I'm here for you."

It didn't take you long before you slid down from the chair and into his arms, letting him hug you tightly as you cried into his shoulder. He gently patted the back of your head, trying to comfort you as best he could.

Meanwhile in his mind, he had figured out why Jongin would do such a thing to you. It was all about timing. Jongin chose the perfect time to do this, knowing it would ruin you. This fact only made Minseok's blood boil more.

"Why would he do this, Minseok?" You said with a sniffle.

"Y/N..." Minseok pulled away, gently caressing your cheek and wiping the tears from your eyes, "I'm afraid I might know why."

"What?" You blinked, puzzled by Minseok's statement.

"He told you about the Deaths in December sequel, right?"

You nodded and Minseok sighed, shaking his head.

"Then I think I'm right," Minseok looked down, his eyes sad, "I had a feeling this would happen."

"What do you mean?" You asked.

Minseok looked back up at me, meeting my eyes, as he explained, "I turned out directing the Deaths in December sequel because I didn't want to work on a show adaptation without you. We had already been planning Code Blue for a while now. Jongin-no, I mean Kai. Kai had agreed to do Code Blue long before they were even thinking about the sequel. But suddenly, they pulled him from our show and announced that they were doing a sequel. And it starts filming _at the same time as Code Blue_."

"Wait, what?!" You exclaimed, covering your mouth.

"From how I see it, they wanted us to fail," Minseok stared back at you with sad eyes, "they knew that a brand new series would be harder to build a fanbase than an existing one. Plus, they stole Kai to be their lead, when they could've had any other actor do the tv adaptation. It was purposeful. I would know, I've worked with that crew before..."

Minseok wasn't always a famous director. He got his big break directing Deaths in December, something he credits you for, because you had insisted on having him direct the film. You had watched the short films he made and said that his aesthetic would fit best and the crew decided to listen, since Deaths in December was an indie film at the time. There wasn't too much risk in pulling a lesser known director in. It was what skyrocketed Minseok's career.

But before then, he worked with a crew. A crew he loved dearly, but a crew that had shunned him out for wanting to do anything more than produce. The same crew that was working on the sequel, knowingly trying to compete with him.

Minseok hated that their feud has now pulled you into the mix. He was certain they made Kai tell you all of those things to damage you, so you couldn't write well. If only they knew how resilient you were.

"Minseok," you calling his name made him turn away from his thoughts.

He looked back at you, softly cupping your cheek. The sad expression on your face hasn't left yet and it pained him to see you this way. He wished he could protect you from all that pain.

You leaned into his hand, comforted by the warmth, and then let out with a sigh, "I think you're right. Jongin has always listened to his producers. Even if it meant leaving me, I'm sure he would do it if they told him too. It's sad, isn't it? That he would throw away everything we had for his career."

"He always has, Y/N," Minseok told you honestly, "he has always picked himself over you."

"I guess...I see that now."

The last tear you would ever cry for Jongin dropped against Minseok's gentle hand and he wiped it away. From that moment on, you would never shed another tear for Kim Jongin.

Instead, you would put your broken heart into making Code Blue the best show the world has ever seen.

You took Minseok's hand off your face and into your own, standing up with him. Then, with his hands held tightly, you said, "let's make them regret ever trying to compete with us."

A smile grew on Minseok's face as he replied, "we'll give them a run for their money and I know just the way to do it."

"I should get back to work then," you let go of him as you said that, "thank you, Minseok, for always being there for me, truly."

"Always," he said back. "Now, I got some calls to make. Do you need a ride home later?"

"If you could, I'm visiting someone who lives near you, if you still live there," you answered.

"I do," he nodded his head, "I'll come down when it's time to leave. Do you want me to walk you back now?"

"I think I can figure it out," you said with a wave, "see you soon."

You went into the elevator and Minseok waved until the doors closed. Then, he went straight into work mode, grabbing his phone.

"Baekhyun," Minseok said into the phone, "what are you doing right now?"

"I was asleep," he groaned into the phone.

"Well get up," Minseok ordered, "we have a project to work on."

"A project?" Baekhyun sleepily said into the phone.

"I'll email you the details, just get it done."

"You got it, boss," Baekhyun chuckled into the phone then hung up.

Baekhyun got up, rubbing his eyes before looking back at his phone at the very long email Minseok sent him. His eyes widened as he read it, but then a smile formed on his face.

"Minseok, you devil," he smirked. "I'll get right to it then."

The world wasn't ready for what was about to drop...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now we can cry together about Kai :')


	4. Episode Two, End Credits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **This episode's title track is Sorry Not Sorry by EXO's Chen.**

Characters listed in the order they appear along with character summaries (for this episode):

"First Love" Kim Jongin/Kai:

You have seen him in five years but when you both finally see one another again, Kai delivered some very heart-warming ("I really do love you") and heart-breaking ("I don't think we should see each other anymore") words. What were his motives behind them...

"Head Writer" Y/N:

You, after getting your heart broken, went drinking with Chanyeol, sharing a warm hug. He then gave you a gentle kiss on the head before wishing you good night. The next day, you spend your morning texting Junmyeon, making plans with him later. Then, you formally met Kyungsoo (again?) who gifted you some pastries, which you shared with Jongdae, who is quite good at his job. Afterwards, you broke down in front of Minseok, who comforted you and told you of Kai's possible motive. With your broken heart, you vowed to make your show better than his...

"Rival Actor" Park Chanyeol:

After seeing Kai so harshly dump you, Chanyeol was defensive against Sehun involving himself in your life again, stirring up conflict. He then treated you to a night of fun, expressing himself and his lax nature. His words surprised you, as you always believed all celebrities were afraid of gossip, but he showed that he would be with you regardless of who sees. He sealed that with a kiss...on the head.

"Childhood Friend" Oh Sehun:

Tensions rise between Sehun and Chanyeol, setting them up to be pinned against one another. Feeling terrible about the events of your shared past, Sehun apologized for his childish behavior and you forgave him...kind of. He'll take what he could get and he hopes to work well with you in the coming future, so you both can rekindle your friendship (and possible romance?)...

"Acclaimed Researcher" Kim Junmyeon:

Spending his morning texting you, you both agreed to have dinner together at his apartment and you would pick up a bottle of wine for the two of you. It was a relatively quick conversation, but one with a lot of future potential...

"Cafe Owner" Do Kyungsoo:

Kyungsoo finally catches you in his cafe and he introduces himself to you after your eyes meet. Then, he gives you a sampler of new pastries he made. You have a feeling you know him from somewhere...but where?

"Assistant Writer" Kim Jongdae:

You catch Jongdae asleep in your shared office, having worked on the script edits all morning. His insights on the show were well-thought out, to the point where you trusted him to take over editing the script on his own. He looked really cute when he was asleep, something you never thought you'd think...

"Show Director" Kim Minseok:

Minseok asked to see you in his office so he could ask why Kai was in the building yesterday. You break down in front of Minseok, which you have apparently done before, and he comforts you, revealing that he is the only one who knows of your relationship with Kai. He then explains how his old colleagues are now producing the rival show to Code Blue and you both are set on beating them. Who are these rivals though...

"Camera Man" Byun Baekhyun:

Baekhyun makes a small appearance in this episode, over a phone conversation with Minseok. It seems like he is the type to sleep all day and work all night, which is why Minseok forced him up. What project do they have in store together... 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Episode Two comes to an end. PLEASE do not @ me for what Kai did. I'm mad as hell too, but it will all be explained in the next episode, maybe ~ 
> 
> This is still the beginning of the show so there's a LOT of background to establish. I threw some hints in as to what shenanigans will occur in the future. So buckle in, it's gonna be a fun ride. 
> 
> If you didn't realize, this is a slow burn. Like, slow. Like, painfully slow. Expect a lot of episodes. You're welcome! 
> 
> As always, please let me know who your favorite character is so far (did it change since last episode?) and who you're rooting for! 
> 
> And who needs more screentime?

**Author's Note:**

> If you would like to read this fic with images, please go to my Wattpad (link here: [Wattpad Version](https://my.w.tt/1LGxVsDlh0)).


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